DIY Natural Deodorant

Sweating, although perhaps not pleasant is a very normal, natural and incredibly important body function. As well as cooling us down it is one way of eliminating toxins, and if not allowed to function effectively and efficiently, can cause toxins to build up in the body, overburden our organs and eventually lead to severe health problems down the line. Body odour is produced by bacteria which break down the sweat on the surface of the skin. Deodorants are aimed at neautralising the bacteria on the skin as well as masking the odour through use of fragrance. The chemicals and synthetic fragrances used are not good for you and feed the cycle by contributing more toxins which we need to detox from.

Anti perspirant deodorants actually block the sweat from coming to the surface of the skin, primarily through the use of an aluminium compound, basically blocking this natural process of waste elimination. There are a number of conflicting claims about the safety of aluminium and it’s links to cancer, particularly breast cancer, neurological disorders and Alzheimer’s disease, however anything that blocks the body’s natural process cannot be a good thing. There have also been many claims that antiperspirants cause you to sweat more when you are not wearing them, to compensate for the inability to sweat during the times that you are. Many people, myself included, have found that when you stop using antiperspirants, after an initial detox period,you actually sweat less and any strong odour decreases as well. The only way to know for sure is to try this for yourself. Keep in mind that there will be an initial detox period where you may sweat and smell more than normal. How long it takes to balance out depends on what deodorant you previously used, how often and how long for.

Try the recipes below to see how they compare to store bought deodarants. Allow 2 weeks to a month to really notice a difference if you have been using conventional/antiperspirant until now.

Melt the coconut oil, beeswax and cacao butter in a double boiler. Once melted stir in arrowroot and bicarbonate soda. Pour into jars or old deodorant wind up tubes (makes 5 -6). Once solid you can start using it.

NOTE: There are some people that have a sensitivity to bicarbonate soda, so if you find you are getting a rash that is probably it. In this case you can omit it from the recipes.